Re: Sunderland Flying Boats -- The Royal Air Force

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[> [> [> Re: Sunderland Flying Boats -- John Cooper, 28/12/03 19:57:51

................but Denis, when one kite was on the trolley, you will no doubt remember the Sergeant who gave the order to make an acute turn, resulting in the tail trolley collapsing and the hull twisting out of shape, aircraft written off, Sergeant posted to China Bay and promoted to Flight Sergeant, no names, no pack drill......

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[> [> [> Re: Sunderland Flying Boats -- Denis Williams, 29/12/03 20:49:47

In the words of the old song-"I remember it well"

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[> [> [> Re: Sunderland Flying Boats -- martin parsons, 21/07/08 12:27:48

Hi
My father was on sunderland flying boats at Pembroke dock and I think seletar. Before i was born. We lived in singapore, and Dad was on beverly's too. He was a Radio/operator/navigator on both i believe. Certainly PEMBROKE dock about 1952 where he met my Mother who use to Morse code my father. Does anyone remember John G Parsons ?

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Re: Sunderland Flying Boats -- Ian Wade, 14/02/04 14:12:02

Am looking for info on my grandad that was a sergeant in the RAF. He Served from 1941-1945. He Left Britain on a crowded troop ship from Liverpool i beleive. He Finally arrived at Ceylon as it was called then. I beleive he was an Air frame fitter on the Sunderlands. I know it is a long shot but if anybody does remember him please contact me at the email address attached. His name is Robert Wade...more commonly known as bob! He sadly passed away a few weeks ago and am trying to find out as much as i can on this part of his life and hoping to find a picture of him back then. Sqn details and service number not known at present...any other relevant info will be greatly appreciated, Thanks in advance, Ian

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[> [> [> Re: Sunderland Flying Boats -- Harry Shepherd, 23/02/04 22:07:52

Regarding Robert Wade:-
There is a reunion of the Indian Ocean Flying Boat Association
26th to 28th March. Many of them served in Ceylon,at Kogalla or China Bay, and some in the Maldives. I will ask around to find out if anyone remembers this old comrade.

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[> [> [> [> Re: Sunderland Flying Boats -- Ian Wade, 24/02/04 21:11:37

That will be much appreciated, Thanks again,
Ian

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[> [> [> [> [> Re: Sunderland Flying Boats -- Harry Shepherd, 30/03/04 20:05:56

I asked the twenty odd members of the IOFBA who attended the re-union,but none of them could re-call Robert Wade.I have asked the Editor of the newsletter to put Ian's query in the next issue. This should reach between 180 and 200 members and so give us a better chance.

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[> [> [> Re: Sunderland Flying Boats -- John Cooper, 31/03/04 7:59:58

Ian
You might just try Channel 4 Teletext page 152 'Servicepals' I have used these facilities a number of times and have had much success including an entry last week where I had a dozen replies

John

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[> [> [> [> Re: Sunderland Flying Boats -- Ian, 2/04/04 21:28:06

Thank you both Harry and John.
Was thinking non stop of the reunion...hope it all went well. I was apprehensive of approaching my nan for more info regarding my Grandads service in Ceylon as it has only been a couple of months since he passed away, :( but she has sorted through some old photos of them both from that period! :) (They married before he went to Ceylon)Unfortunately she cannot recall the squadron or specific names of places that he stayed in whilst in Ceylon...But hopefully something will turn up soon...Hope you dont mind if i keep you posted! Will try teletext...ta...Have placed grandads info on http://www.worldwar2exraf.co.uk/findanameWZ.html
and am also setting up a web page as well...
Cheers
Ian

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[> [> [> [> [> Re: Sunderland Flying Boats -- John Cooper, 3/04/04 6:56:54

Ian

If you have found your Grandads Srvice Number, Rank and initials you can obtain these records from

PMA IM1b(RAF)
Room 5
Building 248A
RAF Personnel Management Agency
RAF Innsworth
Gloucester GL3 1EZ

But it will have to be actioned by your Grandma and not yourself as she is the next-of-kin. This will definitely give you dates of postings and other very limited information. The fee for this is normally �25. If you type in RAF (MoD) Innsworth into Google search engine it will come up with all of the details

Best of luck

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[> [> [> Re: Sunderland Flying Boats -- Ian, 2/06/04 22:56:05

Hey Everyone!!!
I have been given my grandads dog tags and other bits and pieces by my nan! Amongst the items was a wallet with "Saraswati" embossed on the outside and inside was a receipt from a photographic shop called "John & Co" and based in Nuwara Eliya??? it is dated 16.2.1945 and appears to be sent on to 21. R.S.U R.A.F Ceylon...any pointers please as to what R.S.U stands for and any other info...
Thanks in advance,
Cheers
Ian

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[> [> [> [> Re: Sunderland Flying Boats -- John Cooper, 3/06/04 9:02:12

Saraswati was a Hindu Goddess of learning, Nuwara Eliya is a town in Central Ceylon with a climate akin to an English Summer, many tea plantations can be found on the hills of the mountains here.

R.S.U. is associated with an M.U. (Maintenance Unit), I will try to find this out for you, it could well mean Repair (and) Support Unit but don't take this as gospel.

I am also pleased that you have received some memorabilia from your Grandfather via your Grandmother, especial thoughts are for this weekend where they should all be remembered.

John

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[> [> [> [> [> Re: Sunderland Flying Boats -- Ian, 12/06/04 16:34:46

Hi John,
Thanks for the input...I was lazy when posting the last and a quick search did reveal who Saraswati was...So i just wanted you to know that i am actively looking for info and not just wasting anybodies time and that i really do appreciate the time that you have taken to reply etc...so a great big thank you to YOU! :)
I have had a reply on another message board that seemed to indicate that the R.S.U may have meant Recovery and salvage unit??? Nuwara Eliya with the tea plantations rang a lot of bells in my head as i remember grandad saying that they often went to the plantations for R&R where the climate is a lot cooler etc...also in the wallet was a small ticket sized certificate for winning the "mens mile" ,from speaking to my nan he was given a clock which is still on the mantle piece as the first place prize!
I have added a page to my site with a couple of photos on from his time in Ceylon please feel free to have a look!
http://unusuallyhairywolf.bravehost.com/Grandad.htm
I also served in the forces in the early nineties and am passionate about our history and the men that went off in all campaigns and those that never came back...it saddens me where in places like ypres they are contemplating building a motorway directly over the battle fields etc...Those sorts of places sholud be kept and maintained so that no-one should ever forget...I am going to get off of my soap box now!!! Thanks again John

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[> [> [> [> [> [> Re: Sunderland Flying Boats -- John Cooper, 13/06/04 13:51:43

R.S.U. Recovery and Salvage Unit, yep that rings a bell!

Nice website citation to your Grandpa, did you ever find out whether he was at Koggala or China Bay in Ceylon?

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[> [> [> [> Re: Sunderland Flying Boats -- kelvin thomas, 20/08/08 0:06:50

Hi.
Just trawling the net for info about the RSU...yes definitely Repair and Salvage Unit. My father served in 1.1.1.RSU in Africa and Italy during WW2...they were attached to another squadron (I've lost the number)Best wishes..kelvin

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[> [> [> [> Re: Sunderland Flying Boats -- Ken Muscutt, 12/10/13 10:33:30

Ian, Re meaning of "RSU" - it is Repair and Salvage Unit.
I worked on one - 58 RSU - as an engine fitter (FIIE) for some months in North Africa in 1943, but was never involved with Sunderlands. We used to set off with a tent, rations, six wheel drive truck, a Coles crane and a trailer, e.g. "Queen Mary" to partially dismantle aeroplanes which had forced landed out in the desert and take them back to our base camp to repair if the damage was not too serious, otherwise to a larger Maintenance Unit. Usually they were single seat fighters or twin engined light bombers.
I don't suppose there were many Sunderlands flying over the desert! Never came across one.

All a lifetime ago for me.

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[> [> [> Re: Sunderland Flying Boats -- Ian, 23/06/04 2:41:48

Still not found out exactly where he was but still researching!
Regards
Ian

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[> [> [> Re: Sunderland Flying Boats -- martin parsons, 21/07/08 12:31:12

Hi
You may remember my father John G Parsons a radio/navigator on Sunderland flying boats @ Pembroke dock. He still has his flying log for that time.

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[> [> Re: Sunderland Flying Boats -- William (Bill) Hauxwell, 22/01/07 10:45:10

Harry Shepherd talked about earthquake relief in the Greek islands. I was with a Sunderland detachment from PD in Malta in 1953 when the Ionian earthquake occured and we had 4 aircraft, 4 more arrived quickly and the ground crew were quite busy until extra people arrived. We were the only means of getting supplies in quickly. On the trip I made to the islands the flight engineer forgot to turn of the pitot head heater and had his hand in water for the return trip.
One of the memories I have is of sleeping in the bomb bay over night for an early morning start and I decide at midnight to let a 'little' air into the 8 man dingy I was sleeping on, this is when I learnt about 'shear valves'. To give you some idea of the size of the bomb bay the dingy only just fits, I may also say that I was not popular as it took a lot longer to let it down. I had to fly on a sonobouy exercise and every time one of the receiver displays stopped working had to hit the right valve to get it working again,as the equipment was so new we had no spares. I survive the trip in a smoke filled darken ward room only to be sick out of a hatch at the mooring, just as the rest of the ground crew rowed up.